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COURSE CARE

Not Yet Fully Emerged From Winter Conditions
February 27, 2015

Not Yet Fully Emerged From Winter Conditions

By Ty McClellan, Agronomist
April 14, 2009

Just as the 2009 golfing season was getting underway, Mother
Nature delivered a string of frigid days complete with a thick
blanket of snow across the Midwest. For some, snowfall was more
like a pillowtop mattress than a blanket. Regardless, spring
green-up was delayed, but has once again resumed as temperatures
have warmed in recent days.

In general, golf courses across the region appear to have
emerged from winter in better condition than last year. The
exception, of course, as always, are golf courses that drain
poorly or are heavily shaded. Both conditions increase the
likelihood of experiencing winterkill injury and exacerbate
damage when it does occur. Poor drainage and insufficient
sunlight also slow the turfgrass recovery process. If either
ailment plagues turfgrass on your golf course, it is a good idea
to document such cases by taking pictures and recording notes.
Don't wait until the end of this golfing season to address the
need to improve drainage or remove problematic trees; begin
education and communication efforts now.

Early April soil temperatures on a
Chicago area putting green register at 40Â°F at a 2-inch
depth. This temperature is much too low to support vigorous
bentgrass growth or recovery, which is why core aeration and
other cultivation practices are better suited in May when
soil temperatures are closer to 60Â°F and the turf is actively
growing, making for a quicker recovery.

Currently, soil temperatures across the upper Mid-Continent
Region are still much too cool to support vigorous turfgrass
growth of any species. A recent reading on a putting green in the
Chicago District registered just 40Â°F. As a point of reference,
soil temperatures must rise into the 60's before vigorous
cool-season turfgrass growth and seedling germination occurs.
With warmer air temperatures on the horizon, soil temperatures
will rise and improvements in turfgrass growth, density and color
should soon follow suit.

In regard to scheduling course maintenance, the month of May
is ideal for completing core aeration on greens, tees, and
fairways. While many courses try to schedule this practice in
early April to get ahead of the busy golfing season, low soil
temperatures tend to aggravate the effort by slowing the rate of
turf recovery. By mid-May, soil temperatures are more likely to
be hovering around the 60Â°F threshold, thus allowing the turf to
recover most quickly (usually 10-14 days or less).

I also would like to remind everyone of the fast approaching
May 15
th
deadline for the reduced Turf Advisory Service (TAS) subscription
fee. The fees for 2009 are as follows:

Half-day TAS

Paid before May 15, 2009

$1,800

Paid after May 15, 2009

$2,300

Full day TAS

Paid before May 15, 2009

$2,600

Paid after May 15, 2009

$3,100

Remember, the subscription fee is not dependent upon the
actual date of your TAS visit, so it is possible to schedule a
visit later in the year and still save $500, as long as your
payment arrives by the May 15
th
deadline.

If you would like more information about a Turf Advisory
Service visit, do not hesitate to contact either of the
Mid-Continent regional offices: Ty McClellan at
tmcclellan@usga.org
or (630) 340-5853 or Bud White at
budwhite@usga.org
or (972) 662-1138.